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CMU signs MOUs with Nigerian universities

Published:Sunday | November 25, 2018 | 12:00 AM
Contributed
President of Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) Professor Fritz Pinnock (seated, left) and Vice-Chancellor of Nigeria Maritime University (NMU) Professor Ongoebi Maureen Etebu (seated, right) display copies of a memorandum of understanding between the two institutions, following the signing on Wednesday, November 21, at the university’s campus. The occasion was also used to ink agreements between CMU and University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Ondo State University of Science and Technology. Participating in the signing were Vice- President of NMU Professor Yemi Osinbajo (seated, centre), and (standing, from left) Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe; Deputy President of CMU Professor Ibrahim Ajagunna; Acting High Commissioner of Jamaica, Ambassador John Clarke; CMU doctoral student Balfour Peart; and Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council at NMU, Chief Timipre Sylva.

The Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) has signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with three Nigerian universities that will enhance cooperation between the local institution and Nigeria's educational sector.

The institutions are Nigeria Maritime University, University of Lagos and Ondo State University of Science and Technology.

The agreements were signed in Nigeria on Wednesday, November 21, by CMU President Professor Fritz Pinnock and Deputy President Professor Ibrahim Ajagunna, following talks with faculty members.

Under the arrangements, CMU will assist the institutions in the development and expansion of maritime, engineering and logistics programmes, and facilitate faculty and student exchanges and joint research and publications.

Speaking in an interview with JIS News, Professor Pinnock said that the MOUs will help to strengthen the relationship between the countries.

"CMU has developed the capacity to provide cutting-edge tuition and consultancy services over its nearly 40 years of existence and is now determined to share its expertise with the African community by initiating new programmes of South-South cooperation," he explained.

 

Overcoming deficiencies

 

Professor Pinnock said the initiative will also help to overcome the deficiencies of the past, in which African and Caribbean communities were perceived as consumers rather than producers of technological innovation.

"CMU is an international university and Africa, South America and China are at the top of our radar. We are in the education export business and the future is about global linkages. We are innovators and the world is our oyster," he said. The three-man delegation from CMU to Nigeria also included doctoral candidate Balfour Peart.